I Proposed Because You Were Terminally Ill - Chapter 28

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 28

 

“My daughter’s marriage prospects will be ruined, Young Duke.”

 

“What do you mean by that?”

 

Cassian’s eyebrows twitched with displeasure.

 

“Are you confessing right now, in front of me as her fiancé, that you’re considering marriage arrangements other than me?”

 

The Viscount seemed to realize his mistake and waved his hands frantically in the air.

 

“Oh my, were you really harboring such thoughts?”

 

“You be quiet for a moment, Damia!”

 

“Are you yelling at your daughter who barely made it back alive? I told you my heart still trembles when I hear loud voices.”

 

“No, this father is just worried about you, that’s all.”

 

The Viscount looked helplessly between Damia and Cassian, clearly flustered.

 

Cassian let out a short sigh and ran his fingers through his black hair.

 

“Then rest assured. The Sarkis Family will take responsibility for Damia for the rest of her life.”

 

He withdrew his gaze from the Viscount and looked directly at Damia.

 

“No matter what happens in the future, my feelings will remain unchanged.”

 

Even if the terminally ill Cassian Sarkis dies early as scheduled.

 

Even if no romantic feelings ever bloom between Cassian and Damia.

 

It seemed as though she could clearly hear the words Cassian swallowed instead of speaking aloud.

 

* * *

 

Cassian insisted on staying overnight at Viscount Ponti’s mansion.

 

He also stubbornly refused to budge on taking Damia to Sarkis Palace when the sun rose.

 

“Are you really going to sleep here?”

 

Even after guiding Cassian to the guest room, Damia remained skeptical.

 

The old bed that would probably creak with every movement, the flat bedding that was anything but soft, the broken furniture and lighting.

 

Damia had expected the young boy to give up after seeing the shabby state of the guest room.

 

She had even planned to mock him a little when he did…

 

“Yeah.”

 

The Young Duke was unexpectedly calm. He didn’t seem to have any intention of changing his mind.

 

“Have you ever slept in such a run-down room before?”

 

“Of course not.”

 

His attitude was arrogant, as if she was asking something obvious.

 

“Are you doing this because you’re worried about me? You could just leave a few escort knights behind.”

 

“That wouldn’t put my mind at ease.”

 

Damia bit her lips tightly.

 

“Young Duke, what will you do if I really start getting the wrong idea?”

 

“You’ll be the one getting hurt anyway. You better take good care of your own heart.”

 

“How about you take a look at your own heart, Young Duke?”

 

“What?”

 

“What exactly is the reason you’re being so kind to me?”

 

Cassian’s red eyes wavered subtly.

 

* * *

 

Of course, it was because of Damia’s strange ability. It was also thanks to the medicine the girl provided him from time to time.

 

“That’s obviously…”

 

Cassian started to speak but then closed his mouth. He had been about to say exactly what he was thinking, but somehow couldn’t bring himself to do it.

 

Damia, who had been listening intently, tilted her head.

 

“You’re too young to understand.”

 

“Huh?”

 

Damia’s eyes widened at the unexpected response that came after a long silence.

 

“Now, get out.”

 

“I’ll leave after I hear your answer.”

 

“No. A child like you should go to bed early.”

 

“Why do you keep…”

 

“Unlike you, I’m an adult and have work to finish. So hurry up and leave.”

 

Cassian sat down on the small chair attached to the guest room and waved his hand dismissively.

 

He even took out a quill pen as if he really had work to do.

 

Damia pursed her lips at this obvious dismissal.

 

“You were about to say something nasty again and held back, weren’t you?”

 

Damia, who had been about to leave, turned around and shot back.

 

“No. What exactly do you think of me?”

 

“Young Duke, put your hand on your heart and think about it. You’ve been emphasizing to me to know my place whenever you get the chance.”

 

“What? I never did that. I only told you not to harbor false hopes about our relationship.”

 

“Isn’t that the same thing?”

 

“It’s completely different.”

 

Cassian answered firmly.

 

“Then what’s the reason I shouldn’t have expectations?”

 

Damia’s purple eyes seemed to see right through Cassian.

 

His chest felt strangely unsettled.

 

“That’s… because I’m terminally ill.”

 

Cassian unconsciously revealed his true feelings.

 

Unlike the always arrogant and confident young boy, his voice trembled faintly.

 

“…”

 

A sudden silence fell between the two.

 

Cassian resented himself for being unnecessarily honest.

 

Somehow, he couldn’t look directly into Damia’s eyes.

 

As if at a loss for words, no response came from Damia.

 

“Miss Damia! I’m here!”

 

While Cassian hesitated, a voice calling for Damia was heard.

 

“Oh? Romi seems to be looking for me.”

 

“…”

 

“I should check if she’s hurt anywhere. Young Duke, please rest well!”

 

Damia, who had been hesitating, quickly left the guest room.

 

‘Why does it feel like I’m more anxious? That can’t possibly be right.’

 

An incomprehensible restlessness crept up Cassian’s spine.

 

Without realizing it, he clenched his fists and stared at the doorway for a long time.

 

* * *

 

“Can this even be called a noble’s mansion?”

 

After sending Damia away, Cassian slowly examined the shabby guest room.

 

In truth, the Ponti Viscount family, while humble, wasn’t completely without lineage.

 

They had enjoyed some success with their herb business and even had a brief golden age when they expanded to the capital.

 

‘What on earth happened over the generations for them to fall this far?’

 

He recalled the foolish face of the Viscount, who had been sleeping soundly despite his daughter being kidnapped, and who had defended the butler who was the kidnapper.

 

‘With people like that, ruining a family would be child’s play.’

 

Cassian clenched his teeth.

 

Though it was temporary, he was still his fiancée’s father, so Cassian didn’t want to criticize Viscount Ponti too harshly.

 

Even if that man was shameless enough to try to marry off his pitifully thin daughter to a count old enough to be her father.

 

‘No, he probably deserves to be cursed at by me.’

 

Cassian roughly ran his fingers through his black hair.

 

Lately, his mind had been too complicated because of Damia Ponti.

 

‘Breaking the Mad Dragon’s curse… I actually gave up on that a long time ago.’

 

He didn’t know how much time he had left with his terminal condition, but he planned to devote himself to his family until just before his death.

 

‘Considering both character and ability to choose the most suitable person as the next duke, eliminating the incompetent branch family members who were corrupt yet coveted the ducal title, and creating a foundation for his mother to live comfortably for the rest of her life even without him—that alone kept him busy.’

 

That’s why he was desperately hiding the fact that he had a terminal condition from the outside world.

 

If rumors spread that the Sarkis Ducal Family was wavering due to the Mad Dragon’s curse, packs of wolves would swarm throughout the Empire, ready to tear him and his family apart.

 

‘Until now, it was rather comfortable because I only had to think about that.’

 

Now that hope had emerged that he might be able to live, and some girl kept catching his eye all day long, everything had become too complicated.

 

Cassian groaned and ruffled his hair. He stood up abruptly and headed toward the bed.

 

“Ugh, uncomfortable.”

 

It was clearly a very old bed that looked like it would break at any moment.

 

Sure enough, creaking sounds vibrated every time he moved his body.

 

Moreover, the bedding was so thin and worn that even though it was summer, this was too extreme.

 

‘I really should take her to the duke’s mansion right away.’

 

It seemed like his gaze kept lingering on that girl because of these pitiful circumstances he didn’t need to know about.

 

That’s probably why she felt like a younger sister he needed to take care of.

 

But this was still dangerous as it was.

 

What if he ended up wanting to take responsibility for Damia Ponti forever because he felt sorry for her and found her endearing?

 

‘I don’t even know how long I can live.’

 

No, that’s not the problem right now!

 

Cassian was startled and unconsciously sat up in bed.

 

‘What kind of nonsensical thought did I just have?’

 

The reason he desperately kept his distance from Damia Ponti wasn’t only because Cassian had a terminal condition.

 

That girl liked Cassian so very much, but he could never reciprocate those feelings.

 

Cassian had never once felt interested in girls his own age.

 

Even Drury Soro, who was the most popular among the boys, was no exception.

 

If anything, Damia was nothing more than a child even younger than her.

 

She was a little cute, though…

 

No, that’s not it!

 

Cassian gritted his teeth and buried his face in the pillow.

 

As he thrashed about, the bed creaked loudly.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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